John somerville and egbert elsdon



JOHN SOMERVILLE AND ROBERT ELSDON, OF MATDSTOE, GREAT BRlTAlN.

t i t Letters Patent No. 76,837, ma apra 14, 186s.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUPAGTURE 0F ILLUMINATING-GAS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that we, JOHN SoMEnvILLn, of the gas-works, Maidstone, in the county of Kent, and ROBERT'.

Y ELSDN, engineer, also of Maidstone, in the county of Kent, and Kingdom of Great Britain, have invented certain Improvements in the Treatment of Apparatus Employed in the Manufacture, and of Materials Used in the Purification of Gas and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The object of this vinvention is'to remove with rapidity the deposit of carbon which accumulates in and adheres to theA interior of the retort-sor ovens used inthe distillation of coals or other materials for the manufacture of gas, and whichoperation is commonly called scuriing The improvements consist in scuring by the following means: A cast-iron or other suitable pipe is introA duced into the retort, of suilicient length to reach from the front to within a few inches of th'e back. The retort, which is heated in the ordinary manner, is then charged with a quantity of chalk or limestone. A special retortdid or cover is provided, having a hole through which the pipe before mentioned is passed, leaving a few inches projecting outwards beyond said retort-lid or cover. The lid or cover is luted andisecuredto the mouth-y piece in the usual way. The cap of thcvaseension-pipe is then removed, and a current of air established, which passing through the cast-iron pipe, above mentioned, to the back end of the retort, returns through or amongst the chalk or limestone to the front end, whence it escapes by-the ascension-pipe. By this means the chalk or limestone will be converted in the course of a few hours into quieklimeand during the'process, the carbon adhering to the retort will be removed and carried oil` through the ascension-pipe. Thus, not only is the retort freed from a deposit which is as prejudicial to the economical manufacture as it is annoying to the gas-maker, but an excellent lime is produced` without injury tothe retort, 'and which may be used forthe purification of gas, or other purposes.

In cases where it is desired to retain the carbon in a solid form, the charge of chalk or limestone may he so modified i'n quantity as to cause the carbon to be merely loosened from the surface of the retort, so a's to 'facilitate its after removal by mechanical means. Y v

In the case of double or through retorts, the cast-iron or other suitable pipe, before mentioned, can be dis-` pensed with, and the lid or cover at the end of the retort' opposite to that from which the cap of the ascension pipe has beenA removed, is to be left open, or only. partially closed, so as to establish a current of air through v and amongst the chalk or limestone with which the retort is charged. v

. This invention is also of great advantage in works where the gas is purified by lime, as it enables the manut facturer to charge the retort which requires scurfing, with the spent or foul lime from-the purifiers, so as to revivify it, and thus admit of the repeated use of the same material, 'while it affords means for theutilization of what is now a very offensive residual. j'

In some casesiit maybe found necessary to make a temporary connection between the tip of the ascensiom pipe and-the chimney-shaft, or other suitable outlet, so as to convey away more completely any objectionable eiluvia thatmight arise in the course of the operation.

Description of the Drawing. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a retort, its setting, ascension-pipe, Ste., showing the cast-iron pipe and special lid or cover in place.

i l Figure 2 is a front view of same.

AA represent the retort, set in brick-work in therordinar'y manner; B, the cast-iron mouth-piece; C, the ascension-pipe, communicating by the dip-pipeD with the hydraulic main E. The ascension-pipe O is shown i with its cap removed. F is the special lid or cover, seeuredto the mouth-piece in the usual manner. Gr is the e cast-iron or other suitable'pipe, passing through the hole in the lid F, and, lying along the bottom of the retort, i extends to within afew inches of the back end thereof/ H represents the accumulation of carbon on the interior of the retort, and I I show the charge of chalk or limestone. It will now be readily understood that with this arrangement of the parts, heat being applied to the retort as usual, a current of air vwill enter through pipe G in the direction of the arrow, passing to the back end, thenceit will traverse the chalk or limestone to the front end, and nally escape by the ascension-pipe, the carbon of the retort being carried away with it.

We lay no claim to the apparatus employed, that is, the pipe and perforated lid, or, in the case of long retorts, the leaving of one end open, while the other remains closed, as they are old and Well known, but

What we do claim to be our invention, is

The use of chalk, limestone, or foul-gas lime, forthe purpose of removing carbon from the interior of gasretorts without injuring` them, in the manner substantiallyas herein described, `while, by the same operation, a useful product, namely quieklime, is obtained.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this application in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JOHN SOMERVILLE,

ROBERT ELSDON.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN D. EOTHERGILL, WILLIAM HENRY BECK. 

